diff --git a/examples/jspsych-survey-html-form.html b/examples/jspsych-survey-html-form.html
index 7de44c7c..ff4d6a36 100644
--- a/examples/jspsych-survey-html-form.html
+++ b/examples/jspsych-survey-html-form.html
@@ -16,8 +16,15 @@
 		html: '<p> I am feeling <input name="first" type="text" />, <input name="second" type="text" />, and <input name="third" type="text" />.</p>'
 	}
 
+	var autofocus_trial = {
+		type: 'survey-html-form',
+		preamble: '<p> What is your favorite bird?</p>',
+		html: '<p>MY favorite bird is <input type="text" id="test-resp-box" name="response" size="10" /></p>',
+		autofocus: 'test-resp-box'
+	}
+
 	jsPsych.init({
-		timeline: [form_trial],
+		timeline: [form_trial,autofocus_trial],
 		on_finish: function(){ jsPsych.data.displayData(); }
 	});
 
diff --git a/plugins/jspsych-survey-html-form.js b/plugins/jspsych-survey-html-form.js
index 6503b6f0..06b33e12 100644
--- a/plugins/jspsych-survey-html-form.js
+++ b/plugins/jspsych-survey-html-form.js
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-html-form'] = (function() {
         default:  'Continue',
         description: 'The text that appears on the button to finish the trial.'
       },
+      autofocus: {
+	type: jsPsych.plugins.parameterType.STRING,
+	pretty_name: 'Element ID to focus',
+	default: '',
+	description: 'The HTML element ID of a form field to autofocus on.'
+      },
       dataAsArray: {
         type: jsPsych.plugins.parameterType.BOOLEAN,
         pretty_name: 'Data As Array',
@@ -69,9 +75,20 @@ jsPsych.plugins['survey-html-form'] = (function() {
     // add submit button
     html += '<input type="submit" id="jspsych-survey-html-form-next" class="jspsych-btn jspsych-survey-html-form" value="'+trial.button_label+'"></input>';
 
-    html += '</form>'
+    html += '</form>';
     display_element.innerHTML = html;
 
+    if ( trial.autofocus !== '' ) {
+      var focus_elements = display_element.querySelectorAll('#'+trial.autofocus);
+      if ( focus_elements.length === 0 ) {
+	      console.warn('No element found with id: '+trial.autofocus);
+      } else if ( focus_elements.length > 1 ) {
+	      console.warn('The id "'+trial.autofocus+'" is not unique so autofocus will not work.')
+      } else {
+	      focus_elements[0].focus()
+      }
+    }
+
     display_element.querySelector('#jspsych-survey-html-form').addEventListener('submit', function(event) {
       // don't submit form
       event.preventDefault();